Natalie is heading into her final year of high school. She and her friends are already talking about taking a trip together after they graduate.

They’re talking about taking a road trip. She came home yesterday asking: “I figured you’d be a great one to ask about how to plan a road trip, can you help?”

We’ve taken a bunch of road trips over the years. Now, a lot of the planning is automatic for me. So, I figure, this is a great opportunity to write it all down…

First, you have to determine everyone’s needs and wants.

1. Decide who’s traveling.

Get everyone’s commitment up front.

It’s okay if the trip is still a long way out and not everyone is committed yet, but at least get an idea of who’s going. That way, you’ll know how many will be splitting the expenses to help determine the budget.

2. Get an idea of everyone’s expectations.

What are everyone’s expectations?

Do people have limits on where they stay? Not everyone likes to camp out. What are everyone’s expectations about the trip itself? While this seems like an easy thing to skim over, or skip altogether, it will really make a difference for the entire trip. Discussing what people envision BEFORE the planning happens and allowing everyone to have a say in the trip’s details, will set the trip up to be a memorable one – for the right reasons.

3. Determine how much time you have to take a road trip.

Are you talking a week, two? If this is your first road trip with friends, more than that may strain the relationship. Being cooped up in car for a long time is a lot to ask of a friendship, no matter how close you are.

Now it’s time to figure out the details:

4. Decide on the destination and plan your route.

Who’s driving and what’s their limit on driving time?

Use a tool like Google maps to determine distances. With geographies like Australia or the United States, it can sometimes take longer to get to a place than you realise.

If you are travelling with friends or family, use a planning tool like Travefy, so that everyone is on board with the costs.

When you are travelling with a group, make sure one person is managing the details but EVERYONE knows what’s going on. Travefy is great for that. By using this planning tool, you can brainstorm, decide on the plan and then have a CLEAR way to track – and pay – for the expenses.

6. Determine Transportation details:

a. Decide which car you’re taking.

Space will be important, as will fuel economy.

b. Are you planning on renting a car?

Make sure you factor in insurance for the car. Do you need to pay extra from the rental agency, or does your existing insurance cover you in the event of an accident? If you are under 25, you’ll need to know which car companies rent to Under 25s and what their conditions are.

c. Get a rough idea of the petrol costs for the entire road trip.

With current fuel prices in mind, determine the fuel costs of your trip using the car’s mileage (km/ltr or mi/gal) and route distance, so you know how much you’ll need to budget for petrol/gas. (TIP: If you live in Australia, make sure you have a Woolworths Discount Card and app installed, and use these petrol stations to fill up. You’ll save 4 cents per litre this way. Alternatively in the U.S. install GasBuddy to determine where the cheapest petrol is along the route)

d. Are you staying in campgrounds or visiting a city?

You’ll have parking permits or parking zones to consider for these.

7. Figure out the Accommodation:

Here’s where everyone’s expectations come into play. Once you have an idea what everyone wants, or needs, it’s easier to plan.

For example, a few weeks ago we talked about taking a camping trip over the upcoming holidays. I asked Nat if she wanted to invite a friend along. When she asked her friend, who had never camped before, the friend responded with a question of her own: Would she have to go to the bathroom in the bush? Natalie responded that even she wouldn’t rough it to that extent. People have different ideas of what camping is. It’s not all roughing it like Bear Grylls.

What campgrounds are available along the way?

If you are staying in hotels, look for family rooms with lots of beds. Also look for hotels with kitchettes or full kitchens. You’ll save a bundle this way. Consider off the highway accommodations as they tend to be a little safer.

If you go the hostel route and decide to stay in dorms, make sure you get gender specific rooms or better yet, consider a private room for extra security.

Once you’ve decided on the type of accommodation, research and book where you’ll bunk down along the way. A good way to do this is making sure that you aren’t driving long distances. Share the driving as much as possible. When you do stop, allow some extra time stretch out and explore the area. Look for detours off the main roads to make your trip more interesting.

It’s about the journey, not the destination!

8. Figure Out Your Eating plan.

A big way to save on a road trip is to shop at the grocery stores. Leave eating out as a ‘treat’.

a. Plan a menu.

This is a good way to determine what’s needed and what you need to buy ahead of the trip. Even if you are staying at hotels, ensure it has a kitchen. Does anyone have food allergies or special dietary requirements that you need to consider? What can be prepared before you leave?

b. Avoid buying snacks and drinks from petrol/gas stations.

That will blow your budget every time. Take these types of snacks with you.

9. Activities – Where’s the Fun?

a. Name Your Roadtrip.

Giving your road trip a name gives it depth, meaning and content. It allows you later to know exactly what you’re referring to, especially when you reminisce. Natalie and I still talk about our “Rockin’ Road Trip” and our “Pacific Wanderings” Road trip.

b. Have a mantra.

I said this in our “9 Simple Ways to make Your Next Road Trip Extraordinary” post, but it’s worth repeating here: We chose ‘Try Something New” and surprisingly, that mantra has carried on for every road trip we’ve had since. “Try Something New” reminds us to get us out of our comfort zone and be more adventurous in our choices. Why travel if you are going to stick to your same ‘vegemite on toast for breakfast’ mentality?

c. What are you planning on doing on your trip?

Is zip-lining part of your plan? White water rafting? Or are you just taking a trip to see what you can discover (for free) along the way?

There may be a great lookout that provides you with amazing views of your destination. Maybe there’s an activity you all want to do and ten companies provide that activity – it’s best to know who has to the best reviews before you choose one.

Build in quiet time. If you are going for a long while, plan for actual time away from each other. While it’s great to hang out, not everyone can deal with all that togetherness.

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Tara Marlow is the founder/writer/photographer/creative genius behind www.TravelFarEnough.com.
She's ditched the desk, emptied the nest and now she's embarking on a new adventure to find herself in the world, inspiring others, like herself, to do the same. She's now travelling the world full time.
Since March 2017, she has completed a 10-month road trip through Australia; Spent 5 weeks solo road tripping through New Zealand; She drove solo from L.A. to Chicago via Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Santa Fe and Texas; She has spent time on the south coast of Iceland; She's explored various parts of the U.K.; She walked almost 800km across Spain, walking the Camino de Santiago; 3 weeks were spent discovering Japan; And now she's someone in the world, planning the next adventure (and capturing her breath, most likely!).
You can find Travel Far Enough on the web, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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I've ditched the (corporate) desk, emptied the nest and now I'm on a Worldwide Trek.

Since leaving Australia in early 2018, I've road tripped from the South Island to the North Island of New Zealand. Driven from San Francisco to L.A., over to Texas then up to Chicago. I've been to Iceland and the U.K. I've walked almost 800 km across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. I've spent time in Japan, returned to Australia briefly for a few housesits, then headed back to the U.S. and on to Canada (first time) for 2.5 months for more adventures.... And there's more wanders and more adventures planned...

I want to inspire you to take the leap to make changes in your life. Life really is too short to simply exist in your life.

Join the community and share your dream life with me. I'd love to help you get there.

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